There’s a kind of rainy day when the air smells like wet earth, your fingertips are cold, your nose is cold, and all you want is a hot cup of something strong. This cinnamon chocolate coffee is what I make on those days: strong brewed coffee with cinnamon, honey and sweetened chocolate drink powder, served hot with a cinnamon stick.
It’s the drink I enjoy most when it’s cold and rainy, so I wanted to share it with you.
Why I Make This Cinnamon Chocolate Coffee
After 13 years as a waiter and barista, I still enjoy experimenting with coffee flavors. Cinnamon, honey and chocolate work well together in a strong cup. On a cold day I like to hold it in both hands and breathe in the aroma of coffee and spices. If you’re new to making coffee at home, you might want to start with my 4 classic coffee recipes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 heaping tablespoons ground coffee
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 to 3 tablespoons honey, to taste (I use 2)
- 2 tablespoons Aiguebelle Caobel Chocolat, a sweetened chocolate drink powder
- 1 cinnamon stick, for serving
How I Make It
- Put the water, ground coffee and ground cinnamon in a saucepan.
- Heat it slowly, with the saucepan covered, and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil over. I usually make mine over a traditional wood fire.
- Strain the coffee.
- Pour it into a large glass or cup, then stir in the honey and the chocolate powder.
- Add the cinnamon stick and serve hot.
From start to finish, it takes about 5 to 10 minutes, including straining and stirring in the honey and chocolate powder, depending on how strong your heat is. On a wood fire it takes me closer to 10 minutes, because the heat is gentle.
How Sweet Should It Be?
That depends on your taste, and everyone is different. Some people skip the honey completely, and some add up to three tablespoons. I prefer two, and I leave the rest to the chocolate powder, which is already sweet.
Balancing the Coffee and the Chocolate
I like my coffee strong and concentrated, with the chocolate clearly noticeable in the cup. If you want a different balance:
- For a stronger coffee flavor, use a little less chocolate powder.
- If your chocolate powder is very sweet, use less honey.
- Stir well after adding the honey and the chocolate powder, so the powder doesn’t settle at the bottom.
When I Like to Enjoy This Coffee
On cold and rainy days, mostly, when the weather outside makes the hot cup in your hands feel even better. If you like warm chocolate drinks, you might also enjoy my gourmet hot chocolate, and if you prefer coffee cold in summer, I wrote about 6 iced coffee flavors.
I’d love to know if you try it and how you adjust it to your own taste. Tell me in the comments.
